Performing Arts

Through the Performing Arts program at LWGMS, students build strong voices, strong minds, and strong bodies. Through literary and historical analysis, interpretation, and memorization of the script and songs, students develop strong minds; by learning to perform with confidence, students develop strong voices; and finally, through learning to use physical movements and dance to express emotion and meaning, students develop strong bodies.

The Performing Arts program also provides opportunities for students to practice teamwork and leadership skills. As members of a cast and crew, students must learn to work together and be responsible as individuals as well as for the entire group. In addition to performing as actors and musicians, students take on leadership roles in stage management, lighting, sound, and set design, assisting the director, and choreographing musical numbers. Each year's productions rely on teamwork and peer support for success. The process of creating a show is filled with opportunities for social and emotional learning. Meeting challenges and taking appropriate risks in shows results in personal growth. Altogether, the shows are all-school, cross-curricular lessons that involve every member of the student body.

As students become more confident in their performance skills from sixth grade to eighth grade, the role size and responsibility increases. In the Fall and Winter all school musical productions, sixth graders generally have smaller roles and seventh graders have larger roles and leads; every sixth and seventh grader has a speaking role. Eighth graders work as the crew, and perform as musicians. During the Spring term, seventh graders may apply to work as the stage crew for the eighth grade play. The eighth grade play reflects a culminating event for the drama program in that every eighth grader has a larger role, takes more creative control, and has more responsibility in this production.

Lake Washington Girls Middle School – Seattle’s first middle school for girls – is a place where girls, grades six through eight, explore, experiment, discover, create, and learn about themselves and the world around them. LWGMS admits students who identify as girls of any race, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual identity, or family composition. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual identity, or family composition in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, athletic, co-curricular, or other school-administered programs.